Last 7th April, technical engineers of Telefonica started an indefinite strike throughout Spain. The workers demand the withdrawal of the so called “Loop Contract” 2015-2018, which establishes even harsher labour conditions to the already untenable situation under which they are forced to carry out their professional activity. Strikers are asking Telefónica to take care of their demands, which have been systematically ignored, regarding their status as outsourced workers (under contract, subcontract and as self-employed)

Once a flagship public enterprise, Telefonica has been downsizing its workforce through massive layoffs, outsourcing, and worsening the already precarious working conditions of its workers. The company, which has registered unprecedented profits, uses the services of more than 600 contractors and subcontractors as a way to reduce its overhead by lowering its labour costs.

Telefónica is the epitome of the current political and financial crisis that Spain is still submerged in. At its Board of Directors meetings, delegates of the main political parties and unions share the table while they make hundreds of thousands of euros a year, an scandalous example of how officials go through revolving doors into industry jobs (e.g. Rodrigo Rato, former “star” Minister of Finance in Spain and President of the IMF, was arrested last week for money-laundering and fraud)

For the very first time, contracted, sub-contracted and self-employed workers have united their forces to strike against Telefónica, demanding major improvements in their working conditions. The technical engineers are subjected to:

• Contracts on paper for 2 to 4 hours daily while their week is full of 10 to 14 hour days, including Saturdays and holidays.
• Squalid salaries ranging between 600 and 800 euros per month.
• To be able to carry out their tasks, they must use their own vehicle and cover all related expenses, as well as providing uniforms and protective gear themselves (boots, gloves, helmet…) if they want to avoid the fines,  ranging from 1.500 to 3.000 euros, which will be imposed by a Telefónica or sub-contractor inspector should they find a fault or failure.
• All tools and work utensils are also provided at their own expense.

Invited by PODEMOS, a delegation of strikers has decided to visit the European Parliament to provide visibility to the conflict of the technical workers; given the fact that Telefónica is, by far, the main sponsor of the Spanish media in terms of advertising space, the strike has been completely silenced. It is urgent to inform the general public about the conflict, and to raise as much money as possible for the striker’s emergency fund, which will enable them to continue in their struggle for justice.

WE MAKE AN URGENT APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY. PLEASE HELP THE STRIKERS SUCCEED BY CONTRIBUTING WITH A DONATION  TO THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT NUMBER:

CAJA DE RESISTENCIA  2038 – 1969 – 69 – 6000178200